CSIRO Alumni
We continue to be involved in key research in the rapid global response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Read about how we are using lab-grown ‘lungs’to fight respiratory viruses and helping in the development of vaccines. This work builds on our strong history protecting people in Australia and around the world from the threat of infectious diseases.
In addition to our important work on the coronavirus, we’d like to share with our alumni some of the latest new on other research projects that demonstrate how CSIRO are solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology.
Reassessing Australia’s National Outlook post COVID-19
The CSIRO Australian National Outlook 2019 (ANO) mapped Australia’s prosperity to 2060, proving a compelling vision of Australia’s future. A year on, COVID-19 demonstrates that no country can escape the consequences of a viral pandemic. The effects of COVID-19 will be felt for years and cut across all prisms of life as we know it. What does Australia’s National Outlook look like now? What are the priority areas for businesses to focus on? What is the role of innovation in leading us towards our 2060 vision?
Innovative new ship cladding creates jobs and reduces emissions
A new lightweight, fire-resistant cladding that can withstand temperatures of more than 1000°C is set to change the face of ships around the world, creating advanced manufacturing jobs in Tasmania and reducing carbon emissions.
World first in 3D printing gives a personal touch to keep the blood flowing
Researchers have made it possible to 3D print tailor-made stents, a critical biomedical device used to treat narrow or blocked arteries.
News from our CSIRO team:
The CSIRO Board are pleased to reappoint Dr Larry Marshall as Chief Executive for a further three years.
Following an external global search, Kirsten Rose has been appointed to the role of Executive Director, Future Industries as part of CSIRO's Executive Team.
Dr Marita Niemelae has been appointed as Director of Energy, heading up research and development to support the delivery of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for the nation.
Ms. Gail Fulton has been appointed Director of Services, overseeing a number of CSIRO’s commercial areas, Publishing, Futures, Education and Outreach, Infrastructure Technologies and SME Connect.
Through the alumni network, we are keen to keep our members updated on recent developments in research and share our scientific news.
Many presentations and seminars are now being held online – so you can attend from the comfort of your own home.
“Mission possible – A vision for Australia’s recovery and future resilience”
Dr Larry Marshall, Chief Executive, CSIRO
12 August 2020 – National Press Club of Australia
Following his reappointment, CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall outlines his perspective on the critical role of science and technology in driving Australia’s COVID-19 recovery efforts and the power of bold, visionary collaboration to build our future resilience and solve our greatest challenges.
Sir Alan Walsh lecture
14 October 2020 - Sir Ian Wark theatre, CSIRO Clayton (with live online broadcast)
The lecture series commemorates the achievements of Sir Alan Walsh.
The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), CSIRO (including CSIRO Alumni), and the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) started the prestigious invited lecture series on the 60th anniversary of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). AAS is a chemical measurement technology invented in 1952 by Sir Alan Walsh at CSIRO in Victoria and developed and commercialised by CSIRO through the setting up of manufacturing industries in Australia for scientific instruments.
The speaker for 2020 is Mark Hodge (CEO DMTC)
DMTC works collaboratively with many innovative Australian industry, research and government partners. Our focus is on delivering enhanced defence and national security capabilities and strengthening Australian industrial capacity. Our approach delivers outstanding achievements in research excellence and technology adoption, backed by a best-practice quality system.
Mark will give an overview of manufacturing today in Australia and present his vision of the future for Australian jobs and growth of the export business. He will talk about the challenges for innovation, what we can do together to conquer challenges and describe what DMTC is doing and how attendees can help.
Mentoring NOW
Mentoring NOW are virtual meetings once a month via WebEx - that connect diverse individuals to share specific insights on topics of interest related to the workplace.
We welcome alumni who are keen to share their skills, experience and professional knowledge with our group. These events are an opportunity to reconnect with CSIRO, former colleagues and build your own network.
We thank two of our alumni members, Dr Geoff Garrett and Dr Rod Hill, for joining our July panel discussion. We’ve had great feedback about the event and encourage other alumni members to join us. If you would like to hear about the next session, please email alumni@csiro.au
Co-learnium and Journal Club Talk Series
Alumni members are welcome to join our CSIRO astronomy and space science community presentations. We explore a range of topics of general interest - our previous talks have included telescopes, astronomical sources, software programs, statistical methods, historical talks and visiting speakers from teams across CSIRO. Our events are quite short, with typically a 20-minute talk, following by 10 minutes of interesting discussion.
To register for our mailing list please contact george.hobbs@csiro.au
In case you missed it
CEDA Event: Does disruption drive innovation?
Crises have always been a catalyst for accelerating innovation. Hear how organisations are already recalibrating their research focus and how we as a community and economy, view and prioritise fundamental and translational research and its funding.
Hear from Dr Cathy Foley AO, Chief Scientist, CSIRO, Professor Peter Høj AC, President and Vice Chancellor, The University of Queensland and Dr Prins Ralston, Principal, Nous Group.
Promote your own events
To help connect alumni with one another, we encourage you to list your own events on our website and discussion forum. Let us know if you are organising, presenting or attending events and we can help promote it to the alumni network – please email alumni@csiro.au
CSIRO Publishing have recently released a couple of virtual journal issues which will be publicly accessible for a limited time:
Rangeland Dynamics and State and Transition Models: an Enduring Conceptual and Practical Framework, The Rangeland Journal
Free to read online until 31 August
A new virtual issue of The Rangeland Journal has been released to honour the 30th anniversary of the seminal paper on the subject by Mark Westoby, CSIRO Fellow Brian Walker and Imanuel Noy-Meir. This virtual issue is a collection of published papers in the journal which have drawn on the concepts in their work. The issue also includes a new editorial by Brian Walker and Mark Westoby.
International Year of Plant Health, Historical Records of Australian Science
Free to read online until 31 August
A new Historical Records of Australian Science virtual issue has been released in support of the United Nations General Assembly’s declaration of 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. The articles discuss both processes that improve plant health and the careers of individual scientists, including CSIRO’s Fraser John Bergersen and Lloyd Thomas Evans.
Through our Commercialisation Marketplace you have the ability to explore our pipeline of investment and partnership opportunities as well as a range of licensing options to catalyse innovation and create competitive advantage.
When you engage with us, you tap into our multi-disciplinary network of world-class scientists and experts to help solve your innovation challenges.
Read about our latest developments:
Microvine: Sustainable production of table grapes year-round with novel microvine cultivars
Cryogenic digital phased array ground stations: Next-generation digital phased array satcom ground stations
PipeTools: A computational tool that helps engineers design pipelines for complex fluids and slurries
MS3: Conservation grade varnish for protecting artworks
We love to hear from our alumni members, so get in touch and let us know what you are up to – reach out to the network for help or promote your events, research or successes.
Please email alumni@csiro.au